MEDFORD, Ore. — Multiple law enforcement agencies are joining experts across the nation to learn how to improve response techniques and investigate child abductions.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is the agency behind this Amber Alert training. All week, local law enforcement officers will be training at the Smullin Center.

For the first day, the training began with personal stories. Participants heard from a parent whose child was killed in Illinois. They also heard from Kaelin Glazier’s mother. Glazier was the 15-year-old Rush girl who was kidnapped and murdered in 1996.

They also heard from Desiree Young, Kyron Horman’s mother. Kryon is the Portland boy who has been missing since 2010. Young wanted to share her story to help empower other law enforcement officers who may come across other abducted children.

“This is a cause that I’ve been extremely passionate about, and I really want us to get a C.A.R.T. team down here and trained and ready for unfortunately, the next disaster that happens,” said Desiree Young.

Local law enforcement and other participants will also hear from criminal investigators from across the country. In addition to law enforcement, there are also other employees with the mental health department, social services and other agencies who are involved with children, who will also be training.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) sent a nationwide reminder on Monday that the AMBER Alert program has not been impacted by the government shutdown. NCMEC says they will continue to provide operational support for the network of local AMBER Alert plans that manages the distribution of alerts within their geographical area.

Oregon State Police say in November 2002, the State of Oregon announced implementation of a statewide AMBER Alert Plan. The plan is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies and local broadcasters to send an emergency alert to the public when a child has been abducted and it is believed the child’s life is in danger. Since implementation of Oregon’s AMBER Alert Plan, there have been 20 activations helping to safely recover 22 children.